Some have called it the "Holy Grail" to resuscitating General Aviation ... and after a long, long wait, it's finally here.

The FAA has issued a final rule that allows general aviation pilots to fly without holding an FAA medical certificate as long as they meet certain requirements outlined in Congressional legislation. Until now, the FAA has required private, recreational, and student pilots, as well as flight instructors, to meet the requirements of and hold a third class medical certificate. They are required to complete an online application and undergo a physical examination with an FAA-designated Aviation Medical Examiner. A medical certificate is valid for five years for pilots under age 40 and two years for pilots age 40 and over. Boeing recorded strong commercial delivery numbers in 2016 and achieved several airplane program milestones. The company delivered 748 commercial airplanes. Boeing booked 668 net orders, valued at $94.1 billion at list prices. The backlog at the end of the year stood at 5,715 unfilled commercial orders. Yuneec International has expanded of its commercial UAV offerings with the unveiling
of the H520 at CES 2017 ... an advanced six-rotor drone for commercial applications. The H520 builds off Yuneec's proven six-rotor platform and incorporates industry-first commercial-grade cameras and applications for high-end commercial use. The H520 offers longer flight time, greater payload, modular design and enhanced components. All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!!

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